One of the models of Hero Bikes, Splender is among the top selling commuters since its inception. In the Auto expo 2014, the company has relaunched Spelndor Pro CLassic with some superb modifications. It has also worked upon its appearance by providing it a muscular look than before along with a new handle bar, classy round headlamps, café racer cowl, winkers and much more. The bike will be launched in the next coming two months.

Review of Hero MotoCorp Splendor

Hero MotoCorp Splendor OverView

Hero has been the top manufacturer in its field ever since it had the sole identity of Hero Cycles. The top position scenario continued as Hero Cycles entered into the legendary joint venture with Honda that gave way to the emergence of a new 'Number One', Hero Honda, in the world of two-wheelers, only this time it was motorbikes and scooters and not cycles. And today, when Hero and Honda have, once again, went on their separate ways, it is Hero (now known as Hero MotoCorp) that, as always, stands at the top position in the Indian two-wheeler market. So deep-rooted is the trust and reliability that Hero MotoCorp has earned for itself over these long years that nothing has been successful in shaking its foundation that goes deep down in the grounds of the auto-industry.

Something else, other than this celebrated marque, that goes as far behind in the chronicles of Indian two-wheeler industry is an offspring of this very company – Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus, which was known as Hero Honda Splendor Plus till 2010. Descended from the epitome of endurance, stability and trustworthiness, which is also called as Splendor, Splendor Plus is one of the four branches that shoot out of the parent Splendor model. Presently, the splendid range of Splendor consists of Splendor Plus, Splendor NXG, Super Splendor and Splendor Pro. Decent in looks, Splendor has never been much of a show-off; its real beauty lies in its promise of staying – staying and serving its owner for at least as long as it takes for a couple of generations to pass.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Designing

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus has been given a design that complies excellently with human ergonomics, providing the riders with ample seating space and helping them in maintaining a comfortable posture all through the ride. Sporting a length of 1970 mm, out of which 1230 mm is dedicated to the wheelbase, besides a width of 720mm, this motorcycle offers a fairly spacious seating for the driver as well as the pillion-rider. The height, meanwhile, has been fixed at 1040 mm that makes for a conveniently low saddle of 785 mm of height while providing a sufficiently wide ground clearance of 159mm, which makes it easy for the bike to keep free of any bumps in the road. What this model actually does is picking the good points from the older version, replacing the not-so-good ones with better substitutes and bundling them all into one single unit – Splendor Plus. That's the reason why the Tubular Double Cradle frame that supports the entire structure of Splendor Plus comes from the classic parent version and brings its strength and stamina along with it while the flimsy aluminium grips get replaced with a more sturdy iron bar. Also, there comes a rear-mounted carrier as a standard feature in Splendor Plus that further adds to utility. However, the modern feature of an electric start is still missing from this Standard street motorcycle, and it still goes with a sole kick-start mechanism.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus Appearance

Looks, as everybody knows very well, are not the USP of Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus. Still, it would be unfair if do not point out the special details that are sprinkled across its simple and sober attire. First of all, the exciting body graphics that are a novel addition to this bike span the entire outfit starting from the headlight, continuing over the fuel-tank and spreading right up to the rear fender providing the much-needed boost in visual appeal. Assisting the graphics in the job are the spanking new 5-spoke alloy wheels that take style a step higher. Plus, the paint job has a very glossy touch and balances quite well with the silent gunmetal grey coating the engine area.

Flaunting a very slim and composed body profile, Splendor Plus features a plain rectangular multi-reflector headlamp flanked by a pair of protruding turn indicators and accompanied by a large body-toned fender and front forks that together make up the front fascia of the bike. The instrument panel is a classic twin dial set, the seat is a plush single-piece unit, the rear end is fitted with silver grab-rails and the tail-light, again, has a rectangular shape. That is pretty much all about the appearance of Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Engine And Performance

The engine that powers Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus is an air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder, OHC mill with a displacement volume of 97.2cc. With 7.4bhp, churned out at 8000rpm, marking the top level of power output and 7.95Nm generated at 5000rpm marking the top torque for the bike, the engine does not seem to be too powerful, but all those notions take a back seat as soon as the motorcycle is taken for a spin. A completely unexpected peppy nature and a well-known superb mileage together succeed quite easily in impressing the rider. This frugal power-mill gets mated to a 4-speed constant mesh transmission gearbox and a multi-plate wet clutch. Blessed with electronic ignition technology, the engine of Splendor Plus not only goes low on noise levels but also on maintenance which is yet another plus point. The suspension system of Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus is composed of highly effective telescopic forks in the front and a swing arm mechanism at the rear wheel both of which are integrated with hydraulic shock absorbers for superior comfort.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus Mileage

When you own a Splendor, fuel-expenses automatically become the last of your worries and honestly speaking, next to durability, that is the biggest factor responsible for making Splendor the highest selling bike in the country. Bearing a fuel-tank of 11 litres (with a usable reserve of 1 litre), Splendor Plus promises a fabulous mileage of 80.6kmpl, which is not an easy find in bikes.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Braking And Handling

Braking is an area where Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus comes as a slight let-down for its rider. With internal expanding 130mm shoe type brakes working at both the front and the rear end, braking levels do not cross the average mark. To help enhance the strength of braking, this Hero bike gets a 2.75 x 18 – 42 P / 4 PR tyre for the front 5-spoke alloy and a 2.75 x 18 – 48 P / 6 PR tyre for the rear. But, even when these brakes and tyres work together, they are unable to shrink the huge scope of improvement that lies ahead for Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus.

On the plus side, though, handling poses no problems for Splendor Plus riders whatsoever. An extremely light-weight body carrying a bulk of only 109 kg, in combination with a suitably long wheelbase and an easy riding posture, help the rider in maintaining excellent command over the motorcycle, especially during the weave-in-weave-out drive of the busy city roads. On top of that, the proficient suspension system that Hero employs for its super-reliable street motorbike works incredibly in absorbing the shocks and bumps, thereby, facilitating a fairly plush ride.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Safety Features

Safety in Hero MotoCorp Splendor Plus is effected by an electrical system at the heart of which lies a 12V battery, continuously supplying an adequate amount of power for the 35W multi-reflector halogen headlamp and ensuring that illumination, even in the darkest of surroundings, is up to the mark. For the pillion-riders' aid, a practically designed set of grab-rails runs along the rear end of the seat which helps them in keeping a good and safe grip during the journey. As for the tyres and brakes, they may not exceed the average mark, but neither do they fail in providing the basic levels of safety for the riders of Splendor Plus.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Pros

Great mileage, practical design and good suspension.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor Cons

Boring looks, average brakes and tyres.

Hero MotoCorp Splendor News

Indian two wheeler market is the World's largest two wheeler market, and even in the crucial economic condition in India, two wheeler sector is showing approximate overall increment of 10 percent in the August 2013 respective to the August 2012. Almost all the major two wheeler companies in India, recorded growth in th...

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